Fire extinguisher



July 14, 1925.

D. W. PATTERSON FIRE EXTINGUI SHEER Original Filed Aug. 8, 1919 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 14, 1925.

b. w. PATTERSON FIRE EXTINGUISHER Original Filed Aug. 1919 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 14, 1925.

UNITED STATES DUNCAN WHITE PATTERSON, or Nnw Yon-K, N. Y., AssIGNoR TO FOAMITE-GHIL'DS.

PATENT OF CE.

CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A. CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

FIRE EXTINGUISHER.

Application filed August 8, 1919, Serial No. 316,154. Renewed June 18, 1923.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DUNCAN WHITE PAT- TERSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at 200 Fifth Avenue, New York city, New York, U. S. A., have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire Extinguishers; and-I do hereby de clare the follow ng to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to I which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention is a foam-making fire extinguisher and its object i's to provide an apparatus of compact form adapted for producing a prompt commingling of the two foam-making solutions in a manner found to be most effective for the proper generation and distribution of foam and without requiring the inversion of either of the solution containers. To this end the invention consists of the several parts and combinations of parts and their relative arrangement as hereinafter disclosed and more particularly pointed out in the appended claimsin the'annexed drawings in which similar numerals refer to like parts in all the figures the whole being tightly clamped between Fig. 1 is a vertical section of a fire extinguisher in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a detail, and,

Fig. 3 is a vertical slightly modified construction.-

, Referring to Fig. 1, 1 is the outer shell or container having an orifice in the top closed by the screw cap 2 in the usual man ner, and 3 is the tubular or elongated inner through the said orifice and issupported on the feet or distance pieces 4 which space it from the bottom of the outer shell. bottom of the inner container consists of a thin plate or disc 5 of'glass or other material adaptedto be readilyfractured or ruptured, and 6 indicates acid proof rubber gaskets on either side of the bottom 5,

the flange 7 formed on an annular casting 8 soldered in the lower end of the inner container and a screw threaded ring '9 screwing into said casting. The aforesaid feet t-may conveniently be formed on the section showing a The ring 9 and they are received within a recess 10 in the bottom of the outer shell while the top of the inner container 3 enters with-' in the neck or outlet of the outer shell 1.

the inner container is thus retained in its position if the apparatus is tilted.

Extending through a stuffing box of suitable construction in the screw cap 2 is a plunger 11 carrying at its lower end the breaking member 12 and' at its upperend the knob 13. should be of such form and construction as to be adapted to cause fracture or [rupture of the bottom 5 over a considerable area, and a very suitable construction is il lustrated, the same comprising a head 14 carrying knife edged ribs 15 which meet in a central point 16 and incline rearwardly therefrom. The breaking member 12 and its plunger may conveniently be of brass and should have an acid resisting coating of lead, tin or the like. 17 is a thin shell or cage enclosing the knob 13 and seating on the screw cap 2 whose function is to prevent accidental depression of the plunthe extinguisher, the knob 13 ger 11.

To use is smartly struck, this causes the breaking member 12 to impact against and fracture the glass bottom 5 of the inner container,

the breaking member and is driven down container which is inserted and removed 1 thereon in order to fracture or rupture 1ts' bottom 5.

The breaking member 12 Here a short plunger 11 passing through 1 a stufling box in thescrew cap 2 has at its lower end a. transverse horizontal arm 19 whereof the ends may be passed through apertures formed in! the wall of the inner container 8 near its top edge, the plunger and the inner container being thus rea 11y When the connected and disconnected.

parts are in the normal position, as shown, I

the ends of the aforesaid horizontal arm 19 of the plunger are embraced by the neck of the outer shell, rendering accidental disconnection ofthe plunger and inner. container impossible. The lower end of the inner container is received betwen guide members 2Q extending upwardly from the bot tom of the outer shell, so that the two containers will p es e he r r a-tive p sitions if the apparatus be tilted. A spring clip or removable distance piece 21 between the knob 13 of the plunger and the stuffing box holds the inner container 3 suspended with its bottom above the breaking member 12 and prevents accidental depression of the plunger. On detaching this clip and strikthe knob 13 smartly, the bottom 5 of the inner container will be caused to forcibly impact upon the breaking member 1.2 and be thereby fractured or ruptured, causing the solutions in the two containers to co-mmingle and the foam thereby produced to be forcibly ejected through the discharge nozzle 18, the bottom of the inner container, when the latter descends, vbeing held spaced away from the bottom of the shell 1 by the feet 4. 3? is a reinforcing ring secured within the inner container 3, just beneath the apertures therBin W ich receive the ends of the horizontal arm 19, of the plunger, the fun ction of this ring being to prevent tearing of the wall of said inner container, which is usually made or rather thin gauge copper, when the knob 13 of the plunger is struck a. sha p. lo

In both the illustrated forms of the invention it will be noted that the parts are arranged so that the two solutions first meet in the bottom part of the structure. well below the liquid levels, and that the result: ing gas and foam must traverse the remaining liquid before it can escape from the outlet which is above the level in the outer container. This method of mixing is found particularlyefficacious in producing the discharge of a dense and proper quality of foam. The extension of the upper end of the inner container tube into the socket structure formed by the neck and cap the outer container provides a means of communication for air or gas between the spaces above the solution levels in each container which, by equalizing any pressure difference, permits the free discharge of the inner solution into the-outer container when the bottom aperture is open, and at the same time prevents the transfer .of one solution into the other as the result of splashing when the extinguisher is moved about or accidentally hit while hanging. on its sup:

port. The pressure communication, it will.

tainer, also enables the normal solution level in the inner container to be sufficiently higher than the normal level in the outer container to insure an immediate starting of liquid flow from the inner to the outer container when the diaphragm is ruptured, this being the effect of the difference in gravitational head and resulting in a quicker generation of the proper quality of foam than would otherwise be the case. The diaphragm-closed aperture in the bottom. of the inner tube is of smaller diameter than the tube itself so that the velocity of the initial flow of the inner solution is thereby also accelerated, still further pron'ioting prom-pt generation of the gas and foam, These several features cooperate to produce an extinguisher adapted for commercial manufacture in various sizes but particularly in small units, of two or three gallons total capacity, capable of being hung up, over or near the fire hazard, or to be carried about if required, and also capable of promptly producing, when operated. a quality of fire-extinguishing foam practically as good as can be produced by the more elaborate power-operated systems.

lVhat I claim and desire to secure by Let ters Patent of the UnitedJStates is 2 1 A fire extinguisher of the tworsolution type, includingtwo separate containers one for each solution openly communicating with each other above the normal solution levels therein, a rupturable diaphragm between Said Containers located adjacent the bottom of both containers, and means including an operating element projecting from the containers for rupturing said diaphragm only, the constructioii being such that the solutions intermingle only through said ru p-; tured diaphragm.

2. A fire extinguisher of the two-solu1ion type, including an outer container for one solution, an inner container tor the other so lution extending substantially from top to bottom of the outer container, Bupturiablc Wall'in the inner container adjacent its bottom, means for rupturing said wall to inter:- ing e he solutions at a point near th bo tomof the outer container, and an outlet opening into the outer container adjacent the top thereof. 1 1

3. A fire e guish r o the twoae ut ou type, including an outer container adapted to old. one so ution and p vided th a socket adjacent its top. an inner container spaccd relation with the bottom of; the outer container, and means for opening the bottom taining the bottom of the inner container in of the inner container to intermingle the solutions adjacent the bottom of the outer cont ainer.

4. A fire extinguisher of the two-solution type, including an outer container adapted to hold one solution, an inner container adapted to hold the other solution and having an open end in direct communication with the upper part of the outer container, and means including an operating element carried by the outer container for rupturing the inner container throughout a predetermined restricted area only at its lower end, so as to permit the intermingling of the two solutions.

5. A fire'extinguisher of the two-solution type, includingan outer container adapted to hold one solution, an inner container adapted to hold the other solution and having an open top in direct communication with the upper part of the outer container, means for supporting the bottom of the inner container adjacent to but spaced from the bottom of the outer container. and means carried by the outer container, including an operating element extending through the outer container, for opening the inner container throughout a predetermined area only adjacent its bottom to permit the intermingling of the two solutions, so as to produce a fire extinguishing foam.

6. A fire extinguisher of the two-solution type, including an outer container adapted to hold one solution, an inner container adapted to hold the other solution and extending substantially to the top of the outer container, means engaging the lower part of said inner container and the bottom of the outer container to support the bottom of. the inner container in position adjacent to but spaced from the bottom of the outer container, and means for opening the bottom of the inner container to permit the intermingling of the two solutions.

7. A foam fire extinguisher comprising two solution containers having means of pressure communication between their upper parts, a diaphragm separating the two solutions in said containers adjacent the bottoms of both containers, an operating element adapted for rupturing said diaphragm whereby one solution enters the other only at the bottom of the extinguisher. and a foam outlet above the solution level in one of said containers.

8. A foam fire extinguisher comprising a solution container having a foam outlet in its upper part above its solution level, a second solution container with its bottom adjacent the bottom of the other container and adapted to be put in communication therewith by the rupture of a diaphragm located near the bottom of the extinguisher and normally separating the solutions, said second container extending upwardly and being 'tainer.

9. A foam fire extinguisher comprising an outer solution container having an upper out let for the foam-discharge, an inner solu tion container provided with a diaphragmclosed aperture normally separating the two solutions at the bottoms of said containers and being extended upwardly above the foam outlet, and means for opening said aperture to permit flow of the inner solstion into mixture with the outer solution in the bottom of the outer container.

10. A foam fire extinguisher comprising an outer solution container having an upper foam outlet, a tube constituting an inner solution container and provided with an aperture adjacent the bottom of the outer container of less diameter than the diameter of the tube itself, a rupturable diaphragm normally closing said aperture, said tube extending upwards above the foam butlet and having means of pressure communication above its solution level with the space above the level in the outer container.

11. A foam fire extinguisher comprising an outer solution container having a socket structure in its upper part and an inner solution container having its upper open end projecting into said socket structure and thereby forming a pressure communication between the upper spaces of said containers adapted to obstruct solution transfer by splashing, the lower end of said inner container having a normally closed aperture adjacent the bottom of the outer container,

means for opening said aperture whereby the solutions come in contact at the bottom of said container, and a foam outlet above the solution level in the outer container.

12. A foam fire extinguisher comprising an outer solution container having an upper socket structure, a removable inner solution container having its upper end in said socket, distance pieces supporting the lower end of said inner container on the bottom of the outer container, a diaphragm-closed aperture in the lower end of said inner container normally separating the two solutions, an operating element for opening said aperture to permit flow of the inner solution into mixture with the outer solution through said distance pieces, and a foam outlet above the solution level in the outer container.

13. A foam fire extinguisher comprising an outer solution container having a socket structure in its upper part and an inner solution container having its upper open end projecting into said socket structure and thereby forming a pressure communication between the upper spaces of said containers Ill) adapted to obstruct solution transfer by splashing, distance pieces removably supporting the lower end of the inner container on the bottom of the outer container, said inner container being provided with a norin ally closed aperture at that end, means for opening said aperture whereby the solutions come in contact adjacent said distance pieces, and a foam outlet above the solution level in the outer container.

14. A foam fire extinguisher comprising an outer solution container having a socket structure above its solution level, a removable inner solution container having its upper end in said socket and an aperture in its lower end, a diaphragm-closure for said aperture, a ring to secure said closure and distance pieces carried by said ring adapted to support the inner container on the bot tom of the outer container.

15. foam fire extinguisher comprising an outer solution container having an upper foam. outlet and a socket structi'ire above said outlet, an inner solution container having its upper end in said socket and provided with means for supporting its lower end adjacent the bottom of the outer container, and provided also with a diaphragm-closed aperture at said lower end, said inner container being adapted to carry its solution with a level above the level in the outer container and having means for admitting gas or air to the space above its solution when said aperture is opened.

16. A fire extinguisher of the two-solution foam-producing type including an outer container adapted to hold one solution, an inner container adapted to hold the other solution and extending substantially to the top of the outer container, means carried by the inner container and adapted to engage the bottom of the outer container to support the bottom of the inner container in position adjacent to but spaced from the bottom of the outer container, and means for openingthe bottom} of the inner container so as to permi th intermin-gling of the two solutions to produce a fire extinguishing foam.

17. A fire extinguisher of the two-solution foam-producing type including an outer container adapted to hold one solution, an inner container adapted to hold the other solution and having an open top, means for supporting the bottom of the inner container adjacent to but spaced from. the bottom of the outer container, and means carried by the outer container, including an element extending through said open top, for opening the inner container adjacent its bottom to. permit the intermingling of the two solutions so as to produce a fire extinguishing foam. w

18. A foam fire extinguisher comprising an outer solution container having a removable cover and a foam outlet located above the normal solution level therein and immediately below said cover, an inner solution container removabl mounted in the outer container with its upper end located above said foam outlet and its lower end submerged in the solution of the outer container, a rupturable diaphragm closing the lower end of said inner container, and a breaker for said diaphragm extending upwards through the solution in the inner container to the exterior of the apparatus.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses:

DUNCAN WHITE PATTERSON. WVitnesses:

D. ASHLEY FELTON, T. W. PARRY. 

